Marker cone with ground anchor

ABSTRACT

A marker cone and ground anchor for use with sporting events, such as soccer, comprising engagement features that allow the marker cone to attach to the ground anchor for improved stability against wind and other disturbances. A stretchable cord extends from the conical portion of the marker cone and engages with a feature in the ground anchor, thereby allowing the marker cone to remain upright while the cord is engaged and under tension. The engagement features allow the marker cone to be removed and replaced without disturbing the ground anchor, and the compliance of the attachment method does not compromise properties of the marker cone that allow it to move or collapse for safety reasons during impact with a falling person.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority to the earlier-filed provisional application having Ser. No. 62/699,828, and hereby incorporates subject matter of the provisional application in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Marker cones for sporting events such as soccer and football are made from lightweight, brightly-colored plastic. They include a supporting base which is usually square, and a vertical cone attached to the base. Some include weakened sections that make the vertical cone portion collapsible for the safety of participating athletes. The lightweight, portable nature of these common designs makes them susceptible to displacement by wind and other disturbances. To prevent the cone from moving, some versions include holes in the corners of the square base for use with thin wire stakes anchored through the holes into the ground below. This method requires a wire stake to be pressed into the ground each time a marker cone is deployed, and pulled back out again before the cone can be stored for safekeeping. Furthermore, anchoring a marker cone directly to the ground in this manner hinders the cone from moving or collapsing in the event of human impact, which can lead to injury.

Another issue with the common design is that once a cone is removed, such as from a park or a practice field, there is no record of where it was located. The position of the cone must be reestablished prior to the next use, requiring repeated effort to measure or pace off the boundaries of the playing area that determine the cone's location.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore one object of the present invention to provide a marker cone which overcomes the above-mentioned problems of the prior art.

It is another object of the present invention to provide such a marker cone which is suitable for safe use in sporting events.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a marker cone and ground anchor designed to work together for allowing the marker cone to be installed to and removed from the ground anchor without disturbing or removing the ground anchor.

It is another object of the present invention to provide such a ground anchor that is easily located for redeploying the marker cone.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a marker cone and a complementary ground anchor for use in sporting events such as soccer and football. The marker cone comprises a base and a conical portion, whereby the conical portion is attached to the base along a vertical axis. The conical portion may include slots or cutouts allowing the conical portion to collapse upon impact for safety reasons. The marker cone may include features for mounting accessories such as flags, signs, or training apparatuses. The marker cone comprises a stretchable cord fixed at one end to the tip or sidewall of the conical portion, and comprises a means at the other end of the cord for engaging the ground anchor.

The ground anchor remains in contact with the ground and comprises a feature that engages the stretchable cord of the marker cone. This feature is accessible by the stretchable cord even when the anchor is fully deployed. When the stretchable cord from the marker cone is engaged with the ground anchor, the stretchable cord is extended and under tension which holds the marker cone in contact with the ground.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional, prior art marker cone anchored to the ground using conventional wire stakes.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the marker cone portion of the invention. A section of the cone has been removed in this view to show inside the conical portion.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one possible implementation of the ground anchor portion of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating how the marker cone portion of the invention attaches to the ground anchor portion of the invention forming a complimentary system. A section of the cone has been removed in this view to show inside the conical portion.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION AND BEST MODE OF IMPLEMENTATION

Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional marker cone 10 is shown. The marker cone includes a base portion 12, a hollow conical portion 13, and optional holes 14 in the corners of the base portion. The optional holes allow the marker cone to be anchored to the ground using conventional wire stakes 11. The conventional marker cone is made from light, flexible plastic material and is optionally colored with an appropriate safety color, usually fluorescent orange. A common embodiment of the conventional marker cone includes cutouts in the conical portion 13 which weaken the structure and allow it to collapse for safety reasons.

If the conventional marker cone 10 does not include optional holes 14, or if wire stakes 11 are not utilized to secure the cone to the ground, the conventional marker cone is easily blown over or away by the wind due to the common lightweight construction of these devices. Anchoring the conventional marker cone to the ground as shown using wire stakes hinders the cone's ability to move or collapse in the event of human impact, potentially injuring a falling person. This anchoring method also requires the anchor(s) to be removed before the marker cone can be removed, and requires the location of the marker cone to be reestablished/re-measured prior to redeployment of the marker cone.

Referring to FIG. 2, the invented marker cone 20 includes the same base portion 22 and conical portion 23 as the conventional marker cone. A section of the cone is removed in FIG. 2 to show the stretchable cord 21 which is fixed at one end to the tip of the conical portion 23. The free end of the stretchable cord has an attachment feature 24 designed to engage with a ground anchor such as the invented ground anchor. The attachment feature may be as simple as a loop formed into the stretchable cord as shown. The flexible cord is shown in its relaxed position, unattached to any form of ground anchor. As with the prior art, the invented marker cone will maintain a vertical position due to the natural stability afforded by the base portion. The stretchable cord does not hinder the invented marker cone from being used as a conventional marker cone when wind is not a factor.

Referring to FIG. 3, the invented ground anchor 30 includes a body portion 31 that is driven into the ground and a head portion 32 that remains above ground. The head portion includes an attachment feature 33 that engages with the corresponding attachment feature of the invented marker cone's stretchable cord.

Referring to FIG. 4, the invented marker cone 20 is shown attached to the invented ground anchor 30. A section of the cone is removed in FIG. 4 to show the stretchable cord 21 under tension. The tension from the stretchable cord creates a force in direction A which holds the invented marker cone in contact with the ground.

In the preferred embodiment of the invented marker cone, the base is approximately a 5-inch square and the conical portion is approximately 9 inches tall. The conical portion has a base diameter of approximately 5 inches and a truncated tip with a diameter of approximately 1 inch. The marker cone is made from light, flexible plastic such as polyethylene with approximate wall thickness of 1/16-inch. The preferred marker cone includes weakened sections in the conical portion that allow the marker cone to collapse for safety reasons, and is colored an appropriate safety color such as fluorescent orange. The stretchable cord is approximately 1/16-inch thick elastic cord formed into a loop with the loose ends crimped together by a decorative bead. The loop of elastic cord passes through a small hole in the tip of the marker cone, with the hole sized such that the bead is too large to pass through the hole when the elastic cord is stretched. The loop of elastic cord hangs down from the tip of the marker cone approximately 6½ inches in its un-stretched form.

In the preferred embodiment of the invented ground anchor, the head and body are molded together as a single piece from a durable plastic such as ABS. The body is approximately 4 inches long and ⅜-inch in diameter, with a tapered point at the bottom end. The head is approximately 1 inch in diameter and ⅜-inch thick. A thin slot extends through the head parallel to the ground, creating a low-profile hook feature that captures the elastic loop of the invented marker cone. Preferably, the ground anchor is colored a bright color such as fluorescent orange for visibility.

Although the invented marker cone engages with the invented ground anchor, the marker cone also engages with existing ground anchors such as wire or plastic tent stakes. For example, the traditional wire tent stake 11 shown in FIG. 1 can engage with the stretchable cord 21 shown in FIG. 2.

Although the preferred embodiment of the invented marker cone has a 5¼-inch square base section, a 9-inch tall conical section, and an elastic loop that hangs 6½ inches from its attachment to the top of the cone, other embodiments may be other sizes such as 12 inches tall or 18 inches tall, with elastic cord lengths adjusted accordingly. Other embodiments may have the elastic cord attached to other sections of the marker cone, such as to the sidewalls of the conical portion.

Although the preferred embodiment of the invented ground anchor is made from plastic and has a 4-inch long body, other embodiments may be made from other materials and have different length bodies so that the anchor is easier or harder to remove from the ground. One embodiment is a wire tent stake with a hook-shaped head that remains above ground for engaging with the elastic loop of the invented marker cone.

Although the preferred embodiment of the invented ground anchor has a body portion that is driven into the ground and a head portion that remains above ground, other embodiments may remain completely above ground. One embodiment is a weight with an attachment feature for the elastic cord. Another embodiment comprises a retention clip that fastens to artificial turf.

Although the preferred embodiments of the invented marker cone and ground anchor engage by looping the elastic cord of the marker cone around the hook feature of the ground anchor, other embodiments may include other engagement features. Other embodiments of the marker cone and ground anchor may comprise a wire or plastic hook tied to the end of the marker cone's elastic cord, with a hole in the head of the ground anchor for engaging the hook.

Although the preferred embodiment of the invented marker cone resembles a conventional marker cone in shape and purpose, other embodiments may include features for mounting accessories such as flags, signs, or training apparatuses afforded by the invention's stability. One embodiment has a slot in the top of the marker cone for holding a sign. Another embodiment has a cup-shaped depression in the top of the cone for holding a pole or a flag. The result is a marker cone and ground anchor which provide the appropriate marking necessary for various sporting events such as football, soccer, field hockey, ultimate frisbee, and the like, while also providing improved stability for resisting wind and other disturbances. The resulting marker cone can be easily deployed to and removed from the same location using the invented ground anchor, and the compliance of the attachment method allows the marker cone to move and/or collapse during impact for safety reasons. 

1. A marker cone comprising a unitary conical portion including a narrow tip end spaced from a wider base end and a stretchable cord affixed inside said conical portion, said stretchable cord including an attachment feature for engaging a ground anchor, said stretchable cord being sized such that it is under tension when said base end is in contact with the ground and said stretchable cord is engaged with said ground anchor.
 2. The marker cone according to claim 1 wherein said conical portion includes intentionally weakened regions or cutouts for the purpose of making the marker cone collapsible.
 3. The marker cone according to claim 1 wherein said conical portion is made from plastic.
 4. The marker cone according to claim 3 wherein said plastic is polyethylene.
 5. The marker cone according to claim 1 wherein said conical portion includes a feature for holding a sign or a training apparatus.
 6. The marker cone according to claim 1 wherein said conical portion is approximately 9 inches in height with a base diameter of approximately 5 inches and a truncated tip of approximately 1-inch diameter, and wherein said attachment feature is a loop formed in said stretchable cord that is affixed to said truncated tip of said conical portion.
 7. A system of marker cone and ground anchor comprising a marker cone with a stretchable attachment feature and a ground anchor with a complementary receiving feature such that said marker cone is held in contact with the ground when said stretchable attachment feature is connected with said receiving feature.
 8. A system of marker cone and ground anchor according to claim 7 wherein said stretchable attachment feature comprises an elastic or rubber cord affixed to the inside of said marker cone.
 9. A system of marker cone and ground anchor according to claim 7 wherein said ground anchor comprises a body portion that is driven into the ground and a head portion that remains above ground.
 10. A system of marker cone and ground anchor according to claim 9 wherein said head portion of said ground anchor is made from a highly-visible color such as fluorescent orange or fluorescent yellow.
 11. A system of marker cone and ground anchor according to claim 9 wherein said body portion and said head portion are constructed as a single plastic body.
 12. A system of marker cone and ground anchor according to claim 11 wherein said plastic is ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) or an ABS blend.
 13. A system of marker cone and ground anchor according to claim 7 wherein said ground anchor comprises a weighted body that remains above ground.
 14. A system of marker cone and ground anchor according to claim 7 wherein said ground anchor comprises a retention clip for use with artificial turf. 